And now without further ado
we'd like to present the
women who has a body and
mind of steel, who can turn
every one's head as she
walks into a room, like
poetry in motion she lights
up a room.

The sensational, and
incomparable, the remarkable
Mrs. Ruth M. Strong....Yeah!

At the age of 41 is when the
Strong Circus began to
inherit it's foundation and
the family structure was
starting to take shape
After having one miscarriage
after another she still was
determined to have
children. She wanted ten,
but was blessed w/ only
three, plus Baby Neena.

There is 1 year between my
sister Sandra aka Sandi and
myself, only 3 months
difference between my
brother John and myself and
approx. 2 years between
Neena and all us. You do
the math.

All of this during an era of
cloth diapers and glass
bottles, nothing throw away
if you know what I mean.

One thing our mother
instilled in us
was the broader picture of
life, also the importance
of having balance in it.
Balance of being a poet, an
entertainer, a student, a
teacher and a humanitarian.
She taught us to be
open-minded in our thinking
and never be judgmental.

It was important to her that
we children have culture in
our lives. She would take
us to the Theatre and the
Plays which at the time I
hated, but appreciate now.
She wanted to show us the
world and it's possibilities
and we love her for that.

She taught me the value of
independence and freedom,
she's my greatest
inspiration.

Mom was very much into good
nutrition, no white flour or
sugar, fresh fruits and
vegetables, high protein.
All we wanted was a sandwich
on white bread, but I
realize now she was ahead of
her time with good
nutrition. I am so thankful
for that.

She believes spirituality is
more of an inner love than
an actual religion or higher
power. She taught us to be
honest and caring and
to love ourselves and
others, " If you do good,
you get good, if you do bad
you get bad" she'd say,
yet she never said how she
knew that.

And to always listen to your
mother. (And we all know
that's a lot easier said
than done)

Our mother is the sweetest
and most delicate of all.
She's not only beautiful,
but passionately young,
playful as a kid, yet wise
as one who has lived long.

Her love is like the rush of
life, a bubbling laughing
spring that runs through all
like liquid light and makes
the mountains sing.

She is at once the sea and
shore, our freedom and our
past. With her we launch
our daring ships yet keep
the things that last.